Saints Pick Up Win to End Skid

IOLA, Kan. – The Seward County men's basketball team got back in the win column Saturday night, defeating the Allen Red Devils 77-65 inside Allen Gymnasium.

The Saints used a 9-0 run to start the game to force the Red Devils into playing catchup the rest of the half.  Ke'Sean Davis scored three of the nine points, while the Saints held Allen scoreless over the first four minutes of the game. Neither team could gain the momentum needed to take over the game. Devin Bethely split defenders and drove the right baseline to keep an eight-point lead at the media timeout.

Came out of the media timeout and hit a three to make it a five-point lead. Quickly pushed lead by to nine with step-back by Horton and two-free throws from Alfred to make the score 23-14. Bethely hit another step-back to put the Saints up double-digits with just under eight minutes to play. The Red Devils turned around and went on a 5-0 run to cut the lead to six points. The run was answered by the Saints by going on a 9-0 run of their own, pushing the score back to double-digits. The Red Devils cut the lead back to single-digits, as the Saints took a 36-28 lead into halftime.

Seward shot 41 percent (13 of 32) from the floor and only 11.1 percent (1 of 9) from behind the arc. The Red Devils shot 29 percent (9 of 31) from the floor and 26.7 percent (4 of 15) from deep in the first half.

The Red Devils creeped back into the game, slowly erasing the deficit before making it a four-point game four minutes into the half. Seward answered with an emphatic dunk by Isiah Small.

The Saints kept the Red Devils two possessions away until the 11-minute mark, when they went on a 5-2 run to cut the lead to one point at 48-47. The Saints went on a 5-0 run to push their lead back to multiple possessions at the media timeout.

Coming out of the media timeout, the Red Devils scored five straight to bring it back to a one-point game. A 6-0 run by the Saints gave Seward some breathing room with under six minutes to play, with the score 63-57. Selmi pushed the lead back to double-digits with two free-throws to make the score 75-65 with just over a minute to play. Seward held off Allen the rest of the way, winning 77-65.

Seward shot 52 percent (29 of 56) from the floor, including 67 percent (16 of 24) in the second half.  However, the Saints made just 1-of-11 from behind the arc in the game.  The Saints held the Red Devils to 33 percent (21 of 64) from the floor and 25 percent (8 of 32) from deep.

The Saints made 18 of 28 free throws in the game, but only went 9 of 18 in the second half, including misses seven straight.  Down the stretch, though, the Saints made the shots that were needed. 

Three Saints scored in double-figures with Small leading Seward with 20 points.  Davis (18 pts) and Augustin (13 pts) both reached double-digit points.

The Saints will return to the Greenhouse on February 14 to take on the Neosho Panthers at 8:00 p.m. The game will be free for all fans thanks to our sponsor Wendy's.  Free tickets can be picked up at Wendy's.